Seating for Old Firm Home Matches

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This is purely for discussion. It might be a contentious subject but let me have your thoughts.

We give the old firm the Ormond and North 'end' stands with some of the main West stand. The atmosphere created by these away fans is outstanding and a real lift for their teams. The crowd sing back and forth from each end of the ground is brilliant; when they score the visual scene alone for their players must be fantastic - a packed end of colors and bodies in delirium. Of course they have plenty fans and naturally this can't be matched by us.

I noticed yesterday sporadic singing by the Saints fans and plenty encouragement; the Young team are brilliant and give their all but because our numbers, which are decent for old firm games, are spread throughout the West and East stands it is very difficult to create an atmosphere or even come close to intimidating the away team which is what home advantage is all about.

Would you fans in the East Stand be willing to move to the Ormond and West stands for one of the old firm matches? I think it would be a real advantage to have the Ormond stand full and jumping with the Young Team leading the way- the atmosphere would be fantastic and a real lift to the team. Would this be feasible? We could experiment perhaps against the new team when they visit us later in the year providing we maintain our top six place and we don't get stitched up by the league. We also gain financially by having more away tickets available to the hooligans who would have the East and North Stand with an end of the West.

I caveat this post by stating that I am well aware that the East Stand houses the lifeblood of the club, dyed in the wool Saints fans and your support is never taken lightly.

I think we tried this back in the day and can't recall the success or otherwise of this.

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That said, I'd be willing to give Celtic and The Rangers the East Stand and the North Stand. Although my season ticket is for the West Stand and I'd be hacked off if I were asked to move. Perhaps a free pie and Bovril as compensation for those displaced?

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This is purely for discussion. It might be a contentious subject but let me have your thoughts.

We give the old firm the Ormond and North 'end' stands with some of the main West stand. The atmosphere created by these away fans is outstanding and a real lift for their teams. The crowd sing back and forth from each end of the ground is brilliant; when they score the visual scene alone for their players must be fantastic - a packed end of colors and bodies in delirium. Of course they have plenty fans and naturally this can't be matched by us.

I noticed yesterday sporadic singing by the Saints fans and plenty encouragement; the Young team are brilliant and give their all but because our numbers, which are decent for old firm games, are spread throughout the West and East stands it is very difficult to create an atmosphere or even come close to intimidating the away team which is what home advantage is all about.

Would you fans in the East Stand be willing to move to the Ormond and West stands for one of the old firm matches? I think it would be a real advantage to have the Ormond stand full and jumping with the Young Team leading the way- the atmosphere would be fantastic and a real lift to the team. Would this be feasible? We could experiment perhaps against the new team when they visit us later in the year providing we maintain our top six place and we don't get stitched up by the league. We also gain financially by having more away tickets available to the hooligans who would have the East and North Stand with an end of the West.

I caveat this post by stating that I am well aware that the East Stand houses the lifeblood of the club, dyed in the wool Saints fans and your support is never taken lightly.

I think we tried this back in the day and can't recall the success or otherwise of this.

Lets have your thoughts?

Oh, I think there may be a few on here who could.

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You're never going to keep everyone happy all of the time. However, people need to get a grip and realise how difficult it is for a club like St Johnstone to keep going with the average gate receipts they get week in week out. There's no Stevie May or O'Halloran fees coming in this year.... where do people think the future quality players are coming from, without money?

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I think Saints need to do 2 things. Firstly give vouchers for those that attend the 3 games running up to the category A matches giving them £ off the tickets that was bringing it down to 320 and hopefully get a few more in.

As for the seating filling the main stand and the Ormond would be a dream. But I would go for just 3/4 of main and the Ormond.

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Should really maximise the finances from these games and if that means Ormond and west stand for saints fans then so be it. Home advantage for The away team isn't really an issues as the ref usually takes care of that anyway.

I would also up the ticket price for away fans to match their pricing structure (£24) and increase kiosk prices by around 25%. If we need the green/blue pound so badly, as alleged, lets milk it for all its worth.

We won our biggest game in our history when vastly out numbered so not a unique situation

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I remember when were moved to main stand & didn't like it. Had a word with our general manager but he wasn't interested. I think the money was the main concern & at that time he was probably right but we were not consistently in the top 6 back then.

I am happy with the present arrangement as I don't want hand them a bigger advantage than they already have.

By the way I noticed a whole section in main stand empty. I assume for security.Probably at least 100 seats x £27.

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**** grovelling for their money. I'd rather be supporting a part time club than be beholden to those degenerates.

Interesting. You would seriously rather be in a lower league sat watching football in crowds of 500-1000 opeople (or less) than give up your seat 3-4 times a year for Saints to stay in the Premiership ?

I love my team, but there still has to be a level of entertainment and atmosphere at a game for me to enjoy it.

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It has been done before against the old Rangers, Celtic and even Hearts, and as another poster said being stuck in the main stand resulted in groups being even more scattered and an even worse atmosphere. If you put the bigots in Tesco's car park they'd still outsing us.

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It has been done before against the old Rangers, Celtic and even Hearts, and as another poster said being stuck in the main stand resulted in groups being even more scattered and an even worse atmosphere. If you put the bigots in Tesco's car park they'd still outsing us.

I don't agree. St.Johnstone fans are like another when they are congregated in decent numbers and I find especially at Dens and Tannadice that the fans can get right in to creating a decent atmosphere.

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Why not give them the whole of the WEST stand and the North with the West stand moving into the Ormond? That way a lot fewer would be inconvenienced.

Fair point. I personally would have no issues in moving to the Ormond stand if it proved to create a better atmosphere to support my team. I think logistics may prove difficult with the hierarchy and VIPS having to be housed in the executive seats but in principal this is surely worth a try.

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Interesting. You would seriously rather be in a lower league sat watching football in crowds of 500-1000 opeople (or less) than give up your seat 3-4 times a year for Saints to stay in the Premiership ?

I love my team, but there still has to be a level of entertainment and atmosphere at a game for me to enjoy it.

Absolutely.

Our clubs have let Scottish football be controlled from Ibrox and Parkhead for decades. We shouldn't allow ourselves to become dependant on these disgusting institutions just because they have large supports.

Look at Partick Thistle this year. The chairman moaning about it being unfair that the fixtures had fallen unfairly and he was going to be missing out on gate receipts. What message does that send? We need them to survive. We depend on them.

Embarrassing.

9 out of 10 times we're beaten before they even arrive when our clubs come out with that nonsense and our chairman only chase the money and bend over for them.

**** them and their money.

Our clubs seeing Celtic and Sevco as some kind of beneficial money tree is shameful.

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giving them half the stadium just gives them the atmosphere advantage regardless where you put them. Based on that Saints should try the following (my helmet is on and I'm preparing for the abuse);

- give them the Main, East and North Stands

- All Saints fans moved to the Ormond

- Prices for East and Main stands increased to same prices Saints fans charged in Glasgow. North and Ormond at regular prices. Only free kids in the Ormond.

- rebate a % (say 20%) of the EXTRA revenue generated as a result of approx 3000 extra fans to season ticket holders (maybe credit for half time refreshments, 50/50 draw entries, discount of future cup tickets, free buses to away games etc)

Result?

- all Saints fans crammed together and probably a good atmosphere coming from one end.